Memphis man charged with animal cruelty

Memphis man charged with animal cruelty

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis man has been charged with four counts of animal cruelty after four ‘injured or mistreated’ dogs were found in his backyard.

The pit bulls were found in the yard belonging to Joshua Whitfield in the 3200 block of Given in January.

According to investigators, “One female dog was bleeding from wounds to her face, neck, legs and chest, while a brown adult male dog bore large scars on its legs and chest. A malnourished brown-and-white female puppy chained to the house had no food, water or shelter and was shivering in the 37-degree temperature. Investigators said the puppy’s backbone and ribs were clearly visible. A fourth dog chained near a doghouse had no visible injuries, but its food bowl was empty.”

At the time of the arrest, one neighbor told us she has seen a dead dog in Whitfield’s yard, possibly after fighting.